END OF ISIS? PUTIN ‘SENDING 150,000 SOLDIERS TO SYRIA TO WIPE OUT EVIL ISLAMIC STATE’

The Russian leader is reportedly mounting an enormous military mission to take control of the terror group’s stronghold of Raqqa.

The city is the self-declared capital of ISIS in Syria and is patrolled by as many as 5,000 jihadi members.

Putin is set to mobilise 150,000 reservists who he conscripted into the military today , following the Paris attacks, Putin hinted he was ready to join forces with the West to tackle Islamic State.

He told David Cameron: “The recent tragic events in France show that we should join efforts in preventing terror.”

ISIS could now face elimination from hundreds of thousands of Russian troops

THIS IS FAST BECOMING A RACE TO RAQQA

AN INSIDER

An insider revealed: “It is very clear that Russia wants to sweep up the west of the country, taking Raqqa and all the oil and gas resources around Palmyra.”This is fast becoming a race to Raqqa – to secure the oil fields they need to cleanse the region of insurgents, and the IS capital is vital to do that.”In a show of strength, Russian jets have previously obliterated nine ISIS outposts in just 24 hours using bunker-busting bombs.

Russian jets pounded terrorist targets and blew up a command centre, potentially killing dozens of fighters.Confirming the successful raids, Andrei Kartapolov from the Russian army vowed to ramp up the pressure, saying: “We will not only continue strikes… We will also increase their intensity.”Speaking at the time of the attacks, in October, Russian Defence Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said: “Over the past 24 hours, Sukhoi Su-34 and Su-24M fighter jets have performed 20 sorties and hit nine Islamic State installations.A Russian jet carries out an air strike in Syria.